Men's 10,000 Meter - Summer Olympic Medalists GOLD Hannes Kolehmainen, FIN 31:20.8 SILVER Louis Tewanima, USA 32:06.6 BRONZE Albin Stenroos, FIN 32:21.8 1920 GOLD Paavo Nurmi, FIN 31:45.8 SILVER Joseph Guillemot, FRA 31:47.2 BRONZE James Wilson, GBR 31:50.8 1924 GOLD Ville Ritola, FIN 30:23.2 SILVER Edvin Wide, SWE 30:55.2 BRONZE Eero Berg, FIN 31:43.0 continue reading below our video Understanding Baseball GOLD Paavo Nurmi, FIN, 30:18.8 SILVER Ville Ritola, FIN 30:19.4 BRONZE Edvin Wide, SWE 31:00.8 1932 GOLD Janusz Kusocinski, POL 30:11.4 SILVER Volmari Iso-H

ollo, FIN 30:12.6 BRONZE Lauri Virtanen, FIN 30:35.0 1936 SILVER Arvo Askola, FIN 30:15.6 BRONZE Volmari Iso-Hollo, FIN 30:20.2 1948 GOLD Emil Zátopek, CZE 29:59.6 SILVER Alain Mimoun, FRA 30:47.4 BRONZE Bertil Albertsson, SWE 30:53.6 1952 GOLD Emil Zátopek, CZE 29:17.0 SILVER Alain Mimoun, FRA 29:32.8 BRONZE Aleksandr Anufriyev, URS 29:48.2 1956 GOLD Vladimir Kuts, URS 28:45.59 SILVER Jόsef Kovács, HUN 28:52.36 BRONZE Allan Lawrence, AUS 28:53.59 1960 GOLD Pyotr Bolotnik

ov, URS 28:32.18 SILVER Hans Gordotzki, GER 28:37.22 BRONZE David Power, AUS 28:37.65 1964 GOLD Billy Mills, USA 28:24.4 SILVER Mohamed Gammoudi, TUN 28:24.8 BRONZE Ron Clarke, AUS 28:25.8 1968 GOLD Naftali Temu, KEN 29:27.40 SILVER Mamo Wolde, ETH 29:27.75 BRONZE Mohamed Gammoudi, TUN 29:34.2 1972 GOLD Lasse Viren, FIN 27:38.35 SILVER Emiel Puttemans, BEL 27:39.58 BRONZE Miruts Yifter, ETH 27:40.96 1976 GOLD Lasse Viren, FIN 27:40.38 SILVER Carlos Lopes, POR 27:45.17 BRONZE

 Brendan Foster, GBR 27:54.92 1980 GOLD Miruts Yifter, ETH 27:42.69 SILVER Kaarlo Maaninka, FIN 27:44.28 BRONZE Mohamed Kedir,ETH 27:44.64 GOLD Alberto Cova, ITA 27:47.54 SILVER Mick McLeod, GBR 28:06.22 BRONZE Mike Musyoki, KEN 28:06.46 1988 GOLD Brahim Boutayeb, MAR 27:21.46 SILVER Salvatore Antibo, ITA 27:23.55 BRONZE Kipkemboi Kimeli, KEN 27:25.16 1992 GOLD Khalid Skah, MAR 27:46.70 SILVER Richard Chelimo, KEN 27:47.72 BRONZE Addis Abebe, ETH 28:00.07 1996 GOLD Haile Gebrselassie

, ETH 27:07.34 SILVER Paul Tergat, KEN 27:08.17 BRONZE Salah Hissou, MAR 27:24.67 2000 GOLD Haile Gebrselassie, ETH 27:18.20 SILVER Paul Tergat, KEN 27:18.29 BRONZE Assefa Mezgebu, ETH 27:19.75 2004 GOLD Kenenisa Bekele, ETH 27:05.10 SILVER Sileshi Sihine, ETH 27:09.39 BRONZE Zersenay Tadesse, ERI 27:22.57 2008 GOLD Kenenisa Bekele, ETH 27:01.17 SILVER Sileshi Sihine, ETH 27:02.77 BRONZE Micah Kogo, KEN 27:04.11 2012 Athletics - 3 | Britannica.com Athletics a variety of competitions in running, walking

, jumping, and throwing events.

Displaying 101 - 200 of 201 results Liu Xiang hurdler who in 2004 brought China its first Olympic gold medal in a men’s track-and-field event. Liu enrolled in a junior sports school in fourth grade and initially succeeded at the high jump. He switched to the hurdles at age 15 and debuted internationally... London Marathon annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through the streets of London that takes place in April. The event was first held in 1981 and is one of the world’s six major marathons, along with the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Tokyo races. The course... long jump sport in athletics (track-and-field) consisting of a horizontal jump for distance. It was formerly performed from both standing and running starts, as separate events, but the standing long jump is no longer included in major competitions. It was discontinued...

long-distance running in athletics (track and field), races ranging from 3,000 metres through 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 metres and up to the marathon, which is 42,195 metres (26 miles 385 yards). It includes cross-country races over similar distances. Olympic events are... Louis, Spyridon Greek runner who won the gold medal in the first modern Olympic marathon in Athens in 1896, becoming a national hero in the process. Although no race in the ancient Greek Olympics was longer than 4,800 metres (3 miles), the marathon was the centrepiece... Lovelock, Jack New Zealand athlete famous for an unexpected victory in the 1,500-metre (metric-mile) race at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The world record he set on that occasion—3 min 47.8 sec—endured until 1941. After studying at the University of Otago, N.Z.,...

Lowe, Doug English middle-distance runner who won gold medals in the 800-metre races at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris and at the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. Lowe was a champion runner at Highgate School and also at the University of Cambridge, where he studied law.... marathon long-distance footrace first held at the revival of the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. It commemorates the legendary feat of a Greek soldier who, in 490 bc, is supposed to have run from Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 40 km (25 miles), to bring... Mathias, Bob American athlete, the youngest to win a gold medal in the decathlon in Olympic competition. After his victory in 1948 at age 17, he returned to win a second Olympic gold medal in 1952. Afflicted with anemia in boyhood, Mathias developed strength by engaging...

Matson, Ollie American football player and track star who possessed a lightning speed that resulted in his winning two Olympic track medals in 1952 (a bronze in the 400-m dash and a silver in the 4 × 400-m relay) and plaudits in the National Football League for his... Matson, Randy American shot-putter who, in 1965, became the first man to put the shot more than 21 m, with a distance of 21.52 m (70.6 ft). Matson’s weight-throwing ability was recognized when he was in the eighth grade by the high school coach of Pampa, Texas, who... Mauermayer, Gisela German athlete who won a gold medal for the discus throw at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where she was portrayed by Germany’s Nazi government as an ideal model of Aryan womanhood. Mauermayer began participating in track-and-field competitions at...

McKenley, Herbert Henry Jamaican track athlete and coach who was one of the premier 400-m runners of his generation, setting a world record of 45.9 sec in the event in 1948. He also set world records for 440 yd in 1947 (46.3 sec) and 1948 (46 sec). At both the 1948 and 1952... Meadows, Earle American pole-vaulter who, tied with Bill Sefton, set the world record in 1937 of 4.54 m (14 feet 11 inches). Meadows and Sefton were nicknamed “the Heavenly Twins.” Both vaulters competed for the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). They...

Meredith, Ted American middle-distance runner, a world-record holder in the 800-metre (1912–26), 440-yard (1916–31), and 880-yard (1912–26) races and as a team member in the 4 × 400-metre relay race (1912–24) and the 4 × 440-yard relay race (1915–28). Meredith began... Metcalfe, Ralph American sprinter, member of the American 4 × 100-meter relay team that won a gold medal at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. At his peak, in 1934–35, he was called “the world’s fastest human”; in 1932 and 1936 he won Olympic silver medals in the 100-metre... middle-distance running in athletics (track and field), races that range in distance from 800 metres (roughly one-half mile) to 3,000 metres (almost 2 miles).

In international competitions, middle-distance races include the 800 metres, the 1,500 metres (the metric mile), and... Milburn, Rodney, Jr. American track and field star who won the 1972 Olympic gold medal in the 110-m hurdles. The winner of numerous collegiate, national, and international races, Milburn later was a track coach at Southern University, Baton Rouge, La. (b. May 18, 1950--d.... Mills, Billy athlete who was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-metre race, achieving a dramatic upset victory at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Mills, who was part Sioux, grew up on an Oglala Sioux Indian reservation and, after he was... Mimoun, Alain Algerian-born French distance runner who was adored by fans for both his talent and his grit, attributes that propelled him to become one of the world’s most exceptional athletes. Mimoun spent most of his career in the shadow of one phenomenal competitor,...

Morceli, Noureddine Algerian middle-distance runner and Olympic gold medalist who broke multiple world records in the 1990s. At age seven Morceli was inspired by his brother Abderrahmane, a world-class runner who finished fourth in the 1,500 metres in the 1977 World Cup;... Morrow, Bobby Joe American sprinter who won both the 100- and 200-metre dashes at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Austl. Morrow also anchored the gold-medal-winning U.S. 4 × 100-metre relay team. As a high school senior in Texas, Morrow won 17 consecutive 100- and... Moses, Edwin American hurdler who dominated the 400-metre hurdles event for a decade, winning gold medals in the race at the 1976 and 1984 Olympic Games. Moses competed in cross-country, track, and gridiron football in high school and studied physics at Morehouse... Murchison, Ira American track star, noted for his exceptional speed from the starting block.

In 1951 Murchison was Illinois high-school champion in the 100- and 220-yard dashes. In 1956 he ran the leadoff leg of the 4 × 100-metre relay for the United States at the... Myers, Laurence E. American all-around runner who set records in every race from the 50-yard dash to the mile run. He competed for the Manhattan Athletic Club. In 1880 Myers was Amateur Athletic Union champion in the 100-yard, 220-yard, 440-yard, and 880-yard races, and... New York City Marathon 26.2-mile footrace held every November through the five boroughs of New York City. The New York City Marathon often draws the largest number of participants of all annual marathons, and it is—with the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and Tokyo marathons—one...

Nurmi, Paavo Finnish track athlete who dominated long-distance running in the 1920s, capturing nine gold medals in three Olympic Games (1920, 1924, 1928), as well as three silvers. For eight years (1923–31) he held the world record for the mile run: 4 min 10.4 sec.... O’Brien, Parry American shot-putter who developed a style that revolutionized the event. He held the world record from 1953 to 1959, increasing the distance from 18 metres (59 feet 3 4 inches) to 19.30 metres (63 feet 4 inches) in that period. O’Brien began putting... Oerter, Al American discus thrower, who won four consecutive Olympic gold medals (1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968), setting an Olympic record each time. During his career he set new world records four times (1962–64). He was the first to throw the discus more than 200...

Ondieki, Yobes Kenyan distance runner who surprised observers in 1993 by setting a world record in the 10,000 metres, an event he had not run on a track in 10 years. At the time, his performance was considered by some as the best distance race ever run. After attending... orienteering outdoor competitive sport that is similar to cross-country running, but with emphasis on map-reading and direction-finding skills. Through woods and over hills or rough plains, contestants plot courses between isolated control points that must usually... Ostermeyer, Micheline French athlete who won gold medals in the shot put and the discus throw at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. She was also an accomplished concert pianist. Ostermeyer’s first love was music, and at age 14 she enrolled at the Paris Conservatory of Music.... Ovett, Steve British athlete, who, along with his great rival, Sebastian Coe, dominated middle-distance running in the early 1980s. The winner of gold and bronze medals at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Ovett set six world records.

Ovett first attracted international... Owens, Jesse American track-and-field athlete, who set a world record in the running broad jump (also called long jump) that stood for 25 years and who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. His four Olympic victories were a blow to Adolf Hitler... Paddock, Charley American sprinter, world record holder for the 100-metre dash (1921–30) and the 200-metre dash (1921–26). He also held the world record for the 100-yard dash (1921, 1924–26) and the 220-yard dash (1921–26). In addition, he was a member of a world record-holding... Page, Alan American gridiron football player, jurist, and writer who in 1971 became the first defensive player to win the Most Valuable Player award of the National Football League (NFL). He later served as an associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court (1993–2015)....

Pennel, John Thomas American pole-vaulter who was the first to jump more than 5.18 m (17 feet) and was a world-record holder (1963, 1966, 1969). Pennel competed for Northeast Louisiana State College (later Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe) from 1959 through 1963.... pentathlon athletic contest entailing five distinct types of competition. In the ancient Greek Olympics, the pentathlon included a race the length of the stadium (about 183 metres [200 yards]), the long jump, the discus throw, the javelin throw, and a wrestling... Pérec, Marie-José French athlete who was the first sprinter to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 400-metre dash. Pérec grew up on the West Indian island of Basse-Terre in Guadeloupe, an overseas administrative district of France. In 1984 she was recruited by...

Peters, James British athlete who set new marathon records four times during the 1950s; he captured the most public attention, however, when he entered the Vancouver, B.C., stadium near the end of the 1954 Commonwealth Games marathon with a five-kilometre (three-mile)... Pettigrew, Antonio American athlete who was a top 400-m runner for the U.S. in the 1990s, but he shocked sports fans when in 2008 he admitted to having used performance-enhancing drugs. Pettigrew first came to prominence while running for St. Augustine’s College, Raleigh,... Pistorius, Oscar South African track-and-field sprinter and bilateral below-the-knee amputee who, at the 2012 London Games, became the first amputee to compete in an Olympic track event. He also was the first Paralympian to win a medal in open competition, when he earned... pole vault sport in athletics (track and field) in which an athlete jumps over an obstacle with the aid of a pole.

Originally a practical means of clearing objects, such as ditches, brooks, and fences, pole-vaulting for height became a competitive sport in the... Press, Irina Soviet athlete who won two track-and-field Olympic gold medals during a career in which she set 11 world records. Press won a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics in Rome in the 80-metre hurdles, setting an Olympic record (10.6 sec) in the semifinals. Her... Press, Tamara Soviet athlete who won three track-and-field Olympic gold medals and set 12 world records. Press won her first gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, setting an Olympic record with a shot put of 17.32 metres (56 feet 10 inches). She won the silver... Prinstein, Meyer American jumper who won three gold medals in Olympic competition in the early 20th century. As a student at Syracuse University, Prinstein set a world record in the long jump, 7.24 metres (23 feet 8.875 inches), in 1898. He finished second in the long...

Radcliffe, Paula British distance runner who set world records in the marathon. Radcliffe was born into an athletic family. Her great-aunt Charlotte Radcliffe won an Olympic silver medal in the 4 × 100-metre freestyle swimming relay in 1920, and Paula cheered on her... Radke, Lina German athlete who set several middle-distance running records between 1927 and 1930. Her victory in the 800-metre race at the 1928 Olympic Games—the first Olympics to include women’s athletics—set a world record that was not broken for 16 years. Distance... Rand, Mary Denise British track-and-field athlete, who won a gold medal in the long jump at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo to become the first British woman to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field. Rand competed at the 1960 Games in Rome, finishing ninth in the long... Richards, Bob American athlete, the first pole-vaulter to win two Olympic gold medals. Sportswriters called him “the Vaulting Vicar” because he was an ordained minister.

Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before... Ritola, Ville Finnish long-distance runner, winner of three Olympic gold medals and two-time world-record holder for the 10,000-metre run. Ritola ran somewhat in the shadow of his great countryman Paavo Nurmi. Ritola lived and trained in the United States but competed... Rudolph, Wilma American sprinter, the first American woman to win three track-and-field gold medals in a single Olympics. Rudolph was sickly as a child and could not walk without an orthopedic shoe until she was 11 years old. Her determination to compete, however,... running footracing over a variety of distances and courses and numbering among the most popular sports in nearly all times and places. Modern competitive running ranges from sprints (dashes), with their emphasis on continuous high speed, to grueling long-distance... Saneyev, Viktor Soviet athlete who dominated the triple jump during the late 1960s and ’70s. He won four Olympic medals, including three golds.

Saneyev was originally a high jumper, but a knee injury forced him to switch to the long and triple jumps; by 1963 he was... Schlaak, Evelin East German athlete who won an upset victory in the discus throw at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. She went on to set world records in the discus and won a second Olympic gold medal at the 1980 Games in Moscow. Schlaak began throwing the discus... Schwartz, Elizabeth Robinson American sprinter who became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field; at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, she won the 100-m dash, setting a world record of 12.2 sec; after suffering severe injuries in a plane crash in 1931,... Sedykh, Yury Russian athlete who is considered the greatest hammer thrower of modern times. He set six world records and won two Olympic gold medals. Sedykh began competing in the hammer throw in 1968. In 1972 Anatoly Bondarchuk, who had won a hammer throw gold medal... Sheehan, George U.S.

physician, author, and running enthusiast who fueled the recreational running movement in the 1970s with a best-selling book, Running and Being (1978), which anointed him as the inspirational guru of runners. Sheehan’s philosophy expounded on the... Sheppard, Mel American middle-distance runner, the first to win two gold medals in individual events in the Olympic Games. Sheppard was a member of the Irish American Athletic Club of New York City. In 1906 and 1907 he set records for the 880-yard and 1,000-yard races.... Sheridan, Martin Irish-born American athlete, one of the most versatile performers of his day. He was the winner of three Olympic gold medals and excelled at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, winning six medals. Sheridan immigrated to the United States in 1897 and... Shorter, Frank runner who became the first American in 64 years to win the Olympic marathon, earning the gold medal at the 1972 Games in Munich, West Germany, the city of his birth.

The son of an American army doctor who was based in Germany after World War II, Shorter... shot put sport in athletics (track and field) in which a spherical weight is thrown, or put, from the shoulder for distance. It derives from the ancient sport of putting the stone. The first to use a shot (cannon ball) instead of a stone competitively were British... Simeoni, Sara Italian high jumper who won an Olympic gold medal and two silver medals in the 1970s and ’80s. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Simeoni advanced to the final round, where she finished in sixth place with a jump of 1.85 m (6 feet 3 4 inch) behind 16-year-old... Singh, Milkha Indian track-and-field athlete who became the first Indian male to reach the final of an Olympic athletics event when he placed fourth in the 400-metre race at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games. Orphaned during the partition of India, Singh moved to India...

Smith, Tommie American sprinter who held the world record for the 200-metre dash with turn (1966–71), his best time being 19.83 sec—the first time that the distance was run in less than 20 sec. He also held the record for the straightaway 200-metre dash (1965–79),... Snell, Peter New Zealand middle-distance runner, who was a world-record holder in the 800-metre race (1962–68), the 1,000-metre race (1964–65), the mile (1962–65), and the 880-yard race (1962–66) and, as a team member, in the 4 × 1-mile relay race (1961). After graduating...

sprint in athletics (track and field), a footrace over a short distance with an all-out or nearly all-out burst of speed, the chief distances being 100, 200, and 400 metres and 100, 220, and 440 yards. The course for sprint races is usually marked off in lanes... steeplechase in athletics (track-and-field), a footrace over an obstacle course that includes such obstacles as water ditches, open ditches, and fences. The sport dates back to a cross-country race at the University of Oxford in 1850. As an Olympic track event (for... Stephens, Helen American runner who won two gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and was undefeated in official competition. Known as the Fulton Flash, Stephens had won nine Amateur Athletic Union track-and-field titles by the age of 18. At the 1936 Olympic Games,... Strickland de la Hunty, Shirley Australian athlete, who won seven Olympic medals between 1948 and 1956, in an era when Australian women dominated track events.

Strickland first competed at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, where she won a silver medal as a member of the Australian... Tewksbury, John Walter American sprinter who won five medals at the 1900 Olympics in Paris. He earned gold medals in the 200-metre race and the 400-metre hurdles, silver medals in the 100- and 60-metre races, and a bronze in the 200-metre hurdles. Tewksbury was a member of... Thompson, Daley British decathlete who became only the second competitor in history to win the decathlon at two Olympic Games, capturing gold medals in 1980 and 1984. The son of a Nigerian father and a Scottish mother, Thompson made his debut in the decathlon at age... Thomson, Earl J. hurdler and versatile track athlete who held the world record for the 110-metre hurdles (1920–28). He was almost completely deaf from the 1940s.

Thomson competed at Dartmouth College (New Hampshire) from 1916 to 1918 (graduated 1920), and then served... Thorpe, Jim one of the most accomplished all-around athletes in history, who in 1950 was selected by American sportswriters and broadcasters as the greatest American athlete and the greatest gridiron football player of the first half of the 20th century. Predominantly... Tokyo Marathon annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through Tokyo that is held each February. The Tokyo Marathon is one of the six major world marathons, along with the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City races. The Tokyo Marathon is the most recently... Tolan, Eddie American sprinter, the first black athlete to win two Olympic gold medals. In his track career Tolan won 300 races, losing only 7. While attending high school in Detroit, Mich., Tolan was a city and state champion in the 100- and 200-yard dashes. At... Torrance, Jack American world-record holder in the shot put (1934–48).

Torrance played tackle on the football team and was a member of the track team, the Fabulous Five, at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge), the latter winning the 1933 National Collegiate Athletic... triple jump event in athletics (track and field) in which an athlete makes a horizontal jump for distance incorporating three distinct, continuous movements—a hop, in which the athlete takes off and lands on the same foot; a step, landing on the other foot; and... Tyus, Wyomia American sprinter who held the world record for the 100-metre race (1964–65, 1968–72) and was the first person to win the Olympic gold medal twice in that event. Tyus attracted national attention as a high-school runner and as an athlete at Tennessee... Virén, Lasse Finnish distance runner, who was the first athlete to win gold medals for both the 5,000- and 10,000-metre races at consecutive Olympic Games: at Munich, West Germany, in 1972 and at Montreal in 1976. At age 19 Virén dropped out of school to train under...

Waitz, Grete Norwegian marathoner who dominated women’s long-distance running for more than a decade, winning the New York City Marathon nine times between 1978 and 1988 (she did not compete in 1981 or 1987). Waitz began as a middle-distance runner and at age 17... Walasiewicz, Stanisława Polish-American athlete who, during an unusually long career (over 20 years), won two Olympic medals and some 40 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships and was credited with nearly a dozen world records in women’s running and jumping events. While... Wang Junxia Chinese middle- and long-distance runner, who in 1993 set world records for women in the 3,000-metre and 10,000-metre events. Born to a peasant family, Wang took up long-distance running as a teenager. She was soon coached by Ma Junren, who was known...

Wanjiru, Samuel Kenyan athlete who set an Olympic record (2 hr 6 min 32 sec) at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games en route to becoming the first Kenyan to capture the Olympic marathon gold medal. In 2009 Wanjiru’s triumphs in the London marathon (in a personal-best 2 hr... Warmerdam, Cornelius American pole-vaulter, the first to attain 15 feet (4.57 metres) and the last to set major records with a bamboo pole. Warmerdam, who was of Dutch ancestry, began vaulting at age 12, using the limb of a peach tree. A graduate of Fresno State College... Wearne, Alice Eileen Australian athlete who was only the second woman to represent Australia in track and field at the Olympic Games. After winning the triathlon (100-m sprint, high jump, and javelin) at the New South Wales athletics championships in 1931, Wearne qualified... Wefers, Bernard J., Sr.

American sprinter who held the world record for the 200-metre dash (straightaway; 1896–1921, though tied by five other runners) and for the 220-yard dash (straightaway; 1896–1921, also tied by the same five runners). Wefers ran for the New York Athletic... weight throw sport of throwing a weight for distance or height. Men have long matched strength and skill at hurling objects. The roth cleas, or wheel feat, reputedly was a major test of the ancient Tailteann Games in Ireland. The competition consisted of various... Whitfield, Mal American middle-distance runner, world-record holder for the 880-yard race (1950–54), for the 1,000-metre race (1953), and, as a member of the U.S. team, for the 4 × 440-yard relay race (1952–56) and the 4 × 880-yard relay race (1952). Whitfield ran...

Wilkins, Mac American world-record-holding discus thrower (1976–78). He was the first man ever to break the 70-metre (230-foot) barrier. Wilkins took part during his college years (1969–73) at the University of Oregon (Eugene) in all weight-throwing events—discus,... Williams, Percy Canadian sprinter, winner of two upset gold medals at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He was the first sprinter not from the United States to win two gold medals at one Olympics. When Williams was 15 years old, he suffered from rheumatic fever and... Wolde, Mamo Ethiopian long-distance runner who became a national hero at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where he unexpectedly captured the gold medal in the marathon and the silver in the 10,000 m. Wolde, who was participating in his third Olympics, won...

Wooderson, Sydney Charles British athlete who was one of the great middle-distance runners of the 1930s and ’40s, setting world records in the 800 m (1 min 48.4 sec; set in 1938), 880 yd (1 min 49.2 sec; in 1938), three-quarter mile (2 min 59.5 sec; in 1939), and mile (4 min... Woodruff, John Youie American track and field athlete who won gold in the 800-m race at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games in a come-from-behind (he was running last) finish that established him as a world-class runner. His victory and those of Jesse Owens and other African American... Wottle, Dave American runner who won a gold medal at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Wottle was a member of the Bowling Green (Ohio) State University track team, winning the 1,500-metre race at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships in 1972....

Wright, Stan American track coach who served the sport for some 40 years, a number of them with the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Track & Field, but was better remembered as the Olympic assistant coach who took responsibility for the disqualification of two... Zaharias, Babe Didrikson American sportswoman, one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, performing in basketball, track and field, and later golf. From 1930 through 1932, Didrikson was a member of the women’s All-America basketball team. During the same period she also... Zátopek, Emil Czech athlete who is considered one of the greatest long-distance runners in the history of the sport. He won the gold medal in the 10,000-metre race at the 1948 Olympics in London and three gold medals at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland:... Zybina, Galina Soviet shot-putter and javelin thrower who set eight consecutive world records in the shot put between 1952 and 1956 and won three Olympic medals.

Zybina’s mother and brother perished from starvation and exposure during World War II, a fate she witnessed...

Question: Which athlete won Olympic gold medals in both the 5000 metres and 10000 metres in 1972 and 1976?
Answer: LASSE VIREN